Improvement in washing-machines



ma aaa CHARLES. Mr ownns AND ,rnoMAs L. noINsoN,

i Leads Patent N. 107,959, daad octqber 4, 1870.

M -f --n- IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

4 i The Schedulereferred to in `these-Letterlatent and making Part 0f the mei u Y I We', CHARLES M.POWnns 'of Flushing, in the county of Queens and Statezof New York, and THOMAS L.

ROBINSON, of Flushing, in the `county of Queens and State (if-New 3 Zork,.have invented certain Improvef `mentsin Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The, object of our invention is to produce a wash` ing-machine of'simpleconstruction and ease of `operatlonfwhichfwlll rapidly and eliectually cleanse fabf ries of levery varietyfof texture with lless 'friction andwear than bythe common methodof washing; andl lt"consists,'essentially` in the combination of acorrugated cylindelghungnpon adjustable bearings, with pressure-springs, and au oscillating frame supporting rollers which carry an endless belt, arranged in a suitable receptacle for the suds and articles to be washed.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a plan .of a machine embodying our in- Figure 2 is a central longitudinal. sectionv of the' The receptacle A', in which the operating device is arranged-,may consist `of an oblong box, of suitable dimensions, with ends preferably inclined, and supe portedon legs of a suitable height. r Centrally across the same is hung the cylinder B,

i'tssuliace iuted or eorrugated longitudinally, and its axis having support in vertically-sliding bearings b 1),'

whichworkin'the side of thebox, onev journal being extendedthrough to `receive a crank, f, upon the` outside, by which it is rotated.` f

The bearings b b consistof` blocks grooved in the `sides of thebox A, their upper ends reaching to the top thereof', and rest-ing upon them are two spring i siats,"E'E`, preferablyot' wood, keyed at-each end to r the top oi the box by pins j j, and readily detachable to admit of the cylinder being removed. 'lhese springs pressdownward on the sliding blocks, but yield to adapt the cylinder tothe inequalities in thickness of thearticles,operated upon, as will be hereafter described. i

'Directly underneath theends o'f the cylinder B are placed oscillating bearings D, each being pivoted to 4tl-lesideoi' the box, which are segments, with their convex surfaces below, and resting on the bottom of the box A. f

Thesesegments aifordbearings for vthe journals of two rollers, ese, but, being otherwise disconnected,

each rocks in a.measureindependently of the other;

Y The' rollers are of corresponding length, `or. nearly so, with the cylinder B, and carry an endless belt, d,

of like width', of canvassor other suitable material.

The ribs of thecylinder Bgpress ou the upper surface ofthe `endless `beltdwith. suicient force'to keep 1t taut onth'c.` rollers, and, by the friction, cause the endless belt and rollers to revolve when the cylinder is' rotated.

The operation is as follows:4

rlhe box 4heilig partiallyffilledwith water or suds, and the cylinder B turned, its motion draws. the art-icles being washed through in the direction of -the ar'f row, between it and the endless apron.

`The rock-bearings DD are depressed on the side at'which the garments enter, ,as shown in dotted lines in fig. 2, so as to facilitatetheir passage through, and,v

if the article is of greater thickness at one end, that bearing, moving independently of the other, adjusts the end of the roller tothe required space without depressingthe .other end.'

The axis of-motion of the rock-bearing being central between the two rollers e e, the depression of one y of them forms a wedge-shaped space, through which the articles enter easily, and are subjected to a greater pressure before they are expelled, thereby forcing the suds through the pores of the fabrics in such a man.- ner as to ei'ectually cleanse without injuring, pressure being substituted to a great extent for friction.

`The spring slats E E allow the cylinder B to rise andfall, either bodily or at either end, to adjust itself to the varying thickness of the"garments,and at the same time a nearly uniform pressure is maintained. vThis machine possesses three greatadvantages:

First, it overcomes all friction, and the most deli cate fabrics may be subjected toits operation without -t-he slightest danger of injury. j Second, it is easily managed, and its parts are not subject to derangement. Y

, Third, it is inexpensive in construction, and can, therefore, be put into market at a cost far below that of any other machine now used.

After passing through in one direction, the rotation of the cylinder may be reversed, and the articles re-` cylinder B, box A, and oscillating roliers e e, and their adj'uncts, substantially asset forth.

OHAS. M. BOWERS.

. THOMAS L.. ROBINSON.

'Witnesses:

KATE NEwnLLlJoNns, WHEELER W. Estinnes.

or rLUsHINe, NEW 

